Tempus de Muto

by Schehrezade

Disclaimer: They ain't mine but I gets to play with them!!
Feedback: As a first time writer, I would love input. It's a drug that I could become addicted to! Drop me a note at
schehrezade_1@hotmail.com
Rating: PG15 for now will vary from chapter to chapter. Will always put in a warning.
Dedications: To Tales, cos I wouldn't be writing without her prodding. You're my muse girl!! Madame Draco my Beta. Thank you for all the hard work and patience. A true gem!

Chapter 12

There was no movement in the Magic Box. Wesley was laid out on top of Anya, his body shielding hers. Xander had been thrown backwards, onto the three stairs, his head was bleeding and his legs shattered from the blast. Amy was at his feet curled into a small ball her arms wrapped around her head. She had tried to shield herself from the magical backlash. Groo had fallen onto the research table face down, his knife still clutched in his fist.
 
Tara was curled around the spot where Dawn had last stood. To her right Buffy and Spike lay with their arms wrapped tightly around each other, tears staining their faces. Willow was slumped face down, in a heap at their feet, blood pooling around her head. Her hair was still black and black veins now rose in a lattice across the backs of her hands, they pulsed with power.
 
A groan broke the silence, Groo levered himself up and rolled over. He propped himself onto his elbows and scanned the shop. He frowned, Dawn was missing and the others were either unconscious or bleeding. He shakily rose and staggered over to the most injured figure. Carefully he pulled Xander off the stairs and laid him flat. Using part of his shirt he wrapped Xander's head tightly. The Pylean ran his hands over Xander's legs, with a quick glance to check he was still unconscious, Groo quickly, reset the breaks. Xander remained unconscious throughout the entire experience. Groo then pulled Amy to him and patted her white cheeks, trying to wake her.
 
"Mmmm," Amy's eyes fluttered open.
 
"Are you okay, miss?" Groo smoothed her brown hair off her face.
 
"I ache all over. The others?"
 
"Injured, unconscious and Dawn is gone."
 
"No!" Amy sat up and scanned the shop. "Oh goddess. Help me up." Groo pulled the shaking girl to her feet. "Over there, have to help those two." She pointed over to Wes and Anya. Groo helped her over.
 
Amy knelt down next to their still forms, searching for a pulse. "Oh yes! They're alive, quick turn him over, I need to be able to touch his face."
 
Groo carefully rolled Wesley off Anya. He sat back on his heels. "You can help them talk again?"
 
"Yes, Willow picked this trick up off my Mom." Amy gently ran her fingers over Wesley and Anya's faces and muttered an incantation. There was a brief flash of violet light and then their mouths reappeared. "Good, they'll be okay now." She glanced over at Tara, Buffy and Spike and frowned, "but I don't know about them..."
 
"Ahhhhh!" Anya sat up, her hands reaching for her mouth. "Oh my god! I am going to kill her, I don't care if she's Xander's best friend she's gone too far this time!" Anya ranted. She stopped when the recent events came flooding back. "Oh no! Dawn?" She looked over at Amy and Groo. They shook their heads. Anya took a deep breath and began to cry, great big gulping sobs, the noise woke Wesley.
 
"What happened?" His eyebrows shot up when he realised he could speak. He looked over at the now trembling Amy. He grasped her arm and steadied her. "Thank you, that was an extremely unpleasant experience." He reached over and pulled Anya to her feet and then helped Groo to steady Amy. His eyes assessing the situation quickly, "right we need to restrain Willow, wake the others and get Xander to the hospital." He turned to Groo and nodded at him, "you're work?"
 
"Yes, his head is bleeding badly, I managed to reset the breaks in his legs, but as for the others..."
 
"Groo can you tie up Willow? There must be ropes in the back."
 
"Yes, I'll show you." Anya pulled the Pylean with her into the training room. They returned quickly, Anya pushed Willow over with her foot and then helped Groo to tie her up. "We should gag her as well, that way she can't cast anymore spells." The Champion nodded and ripped another piece off his shirt and quickly gagged the unconscious witch. The left her propped against the counter and turned to help Amy and Wesley.
 
Amy had Tara cradled in her arms. Wesley was trying to pry apart Buffy and Spike.
 
"Dawwwn?" Buffy moaned as she finally began to wake up. Her voice woke Spike. They both sat up and opened their eyes.
 
"What the hell?" Wesley's composure slipped, at the sight of their eyes. His involuntary exclamation woke Tara as well. Amy gasped at the green glow at the edge of Tara's irises, it was the same colour that tinged Spike and Buffy's eyes.
 
"Buffy, you alright pet?" Spike cradled her face in his hands and kissed her. Mid kiss he paused and pulled back, looking into her eyes he echoed her frown.
 
"Your eyes." They both said in unison. Then they both realised, that Dawn was missing.
 
"Dawn!" Buffy cried out, she pulled away from Spike and ran her hands over the blackened spot where her sister had stood. An animalistic wail resonated out of her body, and she collapsed on the floor sobbing.
 
Spike lunged at her and wrapped himself around her shaking body. "No...no...no...no...no! Nibblet?" He moaned and then threw his head back and vamped out. A howl erupted out of him. That was so loud, it woke Xander.
 
"Aww! Jesus, my head." He tried to move only to be stopped by Anya's hands, which pressed him to the floor.
 
"Stay still, you've hit your head and..." She trailed off.
 
"Broke my legs, I can feel it," He panted. As the agonising pain in his shattered limbs began to register. "What the hell hit me?"
 
"Willow," Tara muttered, her eyes glowed emerald green, for a second, then faded to a pale jade. She pulled herself up from where Anya had dropped her, and stumbled over to the blonde couple. Who, were still crouched together in mourning.
 
"What's that frickin noise? It's making my bones ache?" Xander asked.
 
"Spike." Anya replied.
 
"Why is he doing a good imitation of a Klingon Death Howl?" Xander panted, sweat beaded his brow and he grimaced in pain, as he tried to move.
 
"Willow killed Dawn," Anya whispered. She began to cry again. Xander looked at her face for a second in disbelief and then passed out.
 
**********
 
"He slipped and fell," Anya offered to the two paramedics as they lifted Xander onto a gurney. "I was cleaning and he didn't realise the floor was wet and well..." She trailed off and pointed at the damp floor, they had quickly cleaned all the blood away. Wesley and Amy were seated at the research table and nodded in agreement with Anya. The spot where Dawn had been incinerated by Willow was washed clean, adding to the excuse for Xander's fall.
 
The others were hidden in the training room.
 
Anya followed the paramedics out to their ambulance. They had all agreed it was for the best if she went with her fiancé. The others would remain behind and tend to the mess that Willow had made.

Once the shop door shut, they sprang into action. Amy flipped the closed sign and locked up, dropping the shutters down. Wesley moved to the training room and swung the door open and looked in.
 
Spike and Buffy were curled together on a training mat. Amy had cast a sleep spell over them. As no one, had been able to calm either, him or her down. Wesley had decided that the noise that they were both making would have been too difficult to explain away. Tara was sitting by them, stroking their hair and trying to keep from breaking down.
 
Groo stood watch over the still unconscious Willow. He had the broadsword, which he had admired earlier in one hand.
 
"Xander's on his way to the hospital." Tara glanced over at Wesley and nodded. "Maybe you could wake them up?"
 
"Sure." Tara passed her hand over both their faces and their eyes snapped open. An unearthly green glow filled their eyes and the faded outwards to the edges where it remained. "Buffy? Are you okay?" She asked softly. "Spike?" Neither of them answered but they sat up, and leant against each other. Buffy shook her head and curled into Spike's side.
 
"What's that bitch still doing here?" Spike glared over at Willow.
 
"We need answers," Wesley explained as he reached down and helped Spike up, pulling Buffy with him.
 
"I get that, but I don't want her near either or us." With that Spike picked up Buffy, cradling her in his arms he stalked out of the room.
 
"What do we do?" Groo asked the overwhelmed Watcher.
 
"Dawn's not gone." Tara levered herself up. "I can feel her all around Buffy and Spike." She hesitated for a second and glanced over at Willow. "Also in Willow and I think... Myself."
 
"Would explain your eyes." Wesley peered closely at Tara's eyes. "I can't recall the colour before but now they are a pale green." He walked over to Willow and pulled one of her eyelids upwards to reveal the same tinge of colour.
 
"I was trying to keep Dawn safe," Tara explained as the three of them left the training room. They propped the door open and Groo remained on guard.
 
"Indeed. I heard you invoke a protection spell, do you think that possibly her energy was absorbed into those of you in contact with her?" Wesley asked as he sat down tiredly next to Amy and the silent blondes.
 
"I think so... But I don't know how?" Tara rubbed her hands tiredly over her face.
 
Buffy looked up hopefully. "You mean Dawn is still alive."
 
"I think possibly her essence is within the four of you. But how we get her back I don't know." Wesley suggested. He looked around the shop. "I need a drink."
 
Tara disappeared around the counter and pulled out a bottle of Scotch. "Here." He nodded his thanks and took a long pull. He offered it to Amy and she nodded her thanks.
 
"Buffy, I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner. I tried. Didn't you get the message I left on the answer phone?"
 
"No, we were too busy." Buffy reached over and patted the distraught girl on her arm. "You tried though, thank you." She took the bottle from Amy's hand and passed it to Spike, who took a long drink and then put it to her lips. Buffy took a sip and then stuck her tongue out. "Blergh!" She handed it to Tara and then snuggled back into Spike's arms.
 
"Do you think these will help?" Amy reached into her bag and pulled out the notepad she had transcribed Willow's notes. She pushed it over to Wesley and then she gently laid her mother's Book of Shadows next to the pad. "She used this for reference I think. I... I found it all in the apartment I grabbed everything and ran."
 
"This is invaluable, thank you." Wesley began reading through the pad. Tara sat next to him and read over his shoulder.
 
"She is stirring," Groo announced as he stepped into the training room. Spike launched to his feet, he placed Buffy next to Tara.
 
"You two stay here," He instructed. Buffy opened her mouth to argue. He placed a gentle finger on her lips, Spike, shook his head. "No arguments, neither of you need to be in there. I won't let her upset either of you. No." He turned to Amy. "You need to talk the bint in there?" She shook her head. "Right keep an eye on these two." With that, he dropped a kiss on Buffy's upturned lips. He lingered on her soft mouth for a second, inhaling her breath. Both their eyes darkened to a deep green, Spike rested his forehead on hers for a moment, before he spun and followed Wesley into the training room.
 
*********
 
Willow opened her eyes. They were black shot through with green veins. She glared at the three men who stood before her.
 
"Let me go."
 
All three of them took a step back, surprised at her telepathic power.
 
Spike shook his head. "Get out of my head, bitch. You will answer our questions and nothing more."
 
"Aww, doesn't Spikey like the Big Bad Wiccan talking to him." Willow taunted, as she struggled against the ropes.
 
"I don't have much to say to you." Spike lunged forward and grasped her chin in his hand. "All I want to hear from you is why? Why did you kill Dawn?"
 
Willow's eyes filled with tears, she shook her head. "No. No I didn't. You're lying."
 
"No, He's not. What ever you did has caused Dawn to cease to exist," Wesley interrupted.
 
"Speak up Willow or I'll let He Man lose on your arse."
 
"Ooo! I'm so scared. Toothless here having to get his new buddy to do his dirty work."
 
"You're not worth the headache!" Spike stood and turned to Wesley. "Don't think she's of any use to us. Just put her out of our misery!" He turned to glare at Willow, his blue eyes tinged with verdegris. "I've nothing more to say to her." He stormed out of the room and back to Buffy.
 
"Right. Well that's Spike's opinion on your fate. Must say it's not far from mine. However I do want to know why you did it?" He sat down cross-legged in front of the sobbing witch. "Look at me." Willow turned her head and looked over at Wesley. "That's better. Now, unlike Spike I have nothing to restrain me. Unless you explain yourself I will start to get very cross."
 
"I..I..I just wanted to fix her arm. Make everything better. Then maybe Tara would come back."
 
"I would believe, that is now, out of the question." Groo commented.
 
"Yes. So the spell was to repair Dawn's broken arm." Wesley eyed Willow suspiciously. "However instead you unmade her."
 
"I didn't mean to. I promise. I love Dawnie." Willow blinked trying to clear her eyes.
 
Wesley looked over his shoulder at Groo. "Well, you may have loved her. But it didn't appear you cared enough about her to make sure that the spell you used was phrased correctly. Now I have your notes and Amy appears to have reclaimed her mother's book. But I want to know why you felt that the words you used would not result in this debacle?"
 
"What do you mean?"
 
"He means, why say, remove that which was not. Return everything to as it was?" Tara's voice echoed through the room. "Willow, you returned Dawn to her previous form. A ball of green energy." She stormed over and sank to her knees next to Wesley. "Open your eyes I need to see."
 
Willow opened her eyes and hesitantly looked over at Tara. "Tara, baby? I didn't mean to do this. I'm sooo sorry."
 
"You never do, Willow!" Tara sighed. "Cookies won't fix this. I need to know exactly what you said. Show me." Tara placed her hand on Willow's forehead and linked their minds. Everyone was silent for a moment. Tara finally removed her hand and opened her eyes. She shook her head. "Giles was right, you are a rank arrogant amateur."
 
"Tara, no, don't say that baby please." Willow began to shake.
 
"I tried to show you, to teach you. But you never listened." Tears began to pour from Tara's already reddened eyes. "Ever since you brought Buffy back it's gotten worse. Willow, you haven't even asked about Buffy."
 
"I can't face her not now..."
 
"There are always consequences to magic. Now you have to deal with it. Buffy deserves an explanation." Tara stood. She brushed her hands on her sweater. "I've got everything I need here. I'll see if Buffy wants to talk to her." She left without looking back.
 
"Willow." Buffy came to the door, Spike had his arm around her waist. "Why?"
 
Willow began to cry. "I'm sorry so sorry. I wanted to fix her arm. Then everything would be okay. She was so angry with me. I couldn't stand it anymore. She.. She wouldn't even look at me."
 
"So it was all about making you feel better?" Buffy asked.
 
"Yes. No I wanted everything back to how it was."
 
"Well looks like you got what you wanted. Dawn's gone. So everything's back to normal in Willow's world," Buffy shouted.
 
"Luv. Don't." Spike rubbed his cheek against her hair. He didn't want her to regret anything she said, they were old friends. One day, maybe, Buffy and Willow could attempt to become friends again.
 
"Willow. Always so worried about yourself! You haven't even asked about Xander." Buffy turned and left.
 
"What? What does she mean?"
 
"The young man, Xander? He was badly hurt. We are waiting to hear from the hospital to see whether he is alright?" Groo commented as he left the room, leaving Wesley to watch over Willow.
 
"What does he mean?"
 
"Both his legs are broken and his skull was probably cracked as well. There was a lot of blood." Wesley shifted uncomfortably. Willow didn't say anything. She closed her eyes and sobbed.
 
*********
 
"Where is she?" Anya stormed into the Magic Box.
 
"We sedated her, she's in the back."
 
"Wake her up. I want to give her a piece of my mind."
 
"How's Xander?" Buffy asked.
 
"Two broken femurs, a cracked skull and twelve stitches in his hairline. But the doctors said, he will, be all right. I'm glad I forced him to get full medical and work coverage, otherwise.." Anya looked at the pale blonde. "Buffy I'm so sorry about Dawn." She came over and awkwardly patted the slayer on the shoulder. She paused and looked into Buffy's eyes. "When did you get coloured contacts?"
 
"We think it's Dawn."
 
"What?" Anya bustled over to the research table and began to look at all the notes and texts scattered over it. "How? Can we get her back? Please say yes!"
 
"We don't know," Wesley admitted. "However it appears that Tara managed to infuse Dawn's essence into those in contact with her, whilst, Willow cast her spell."
 
"Is Dawn inside you all, can you talk to her?" Anya asked hopefully.
 
"No. We can't. She's in here." Buffy put her hand over heart. "But, it's like there is not enough of her in each of us to talk to her. Tara and Amy seemed to think she's not even conscious of anything that's happening. It's hard to explain.."
 
"No I get it, it's like a computer programme. Tara sorta saved Dawn in each of you. You all got different parts of her filed in you." Anya surmised.
 
"I guess. It's just I couldn't do anything to stop Willow. So I tried to save as much of Dawn as I could."  Tara fidgeted under Anya's understanding gaze. "Willow's spell was too unstable I..."
 
"So what was she trying to do?" Anya asked.
 
"Heal her arm, it appears." Wesley gestured for Anya to sit down. "However her phrasing was incorrect. She unmade her instead."
 
"I'm not surprised. Willow's spells are pretty much hit and miss." Anya glanced over at Buffy. "I mean really someone should have put a stop to her earlier. She made Xander a demon magnet, Giles blind, released Olaf and made Buffy and Spike want to get married." She eyed the pair in question who were wrapped around each other. "Though she may have been not to wrong about that." She raised an eyebrow at the two of them.
 
Spike grunted and pulled Buffy closer. He was terrified that if he let go she'd disappear too.
 
Anya continued. "I think that possibly, there was some form of intervention, when we raised you." She nodded at Buffy. "There is no way that Willow was an able enough witch to do it without outside help. I think possibly the Powers needed you back here." She shrugged at everyone's reaction. "Oh come on! What're you thinking? What? That I'm just a shopkeeper? I have a lot of experience in the occult and in summonings. Come on, think people, how did I get my vengeance on?" She looked around the table waiting for an answer to her question. She rolled her eyes at them. "I was summoned by the wronged women, honestly!" Anya took a breath. "The research I did after you came back indicated that there was no way, Willow could have managed it on her own."
 
"You researched the raising demon girl?" Spike leant forward and rested his arms on the table. Buffy had slid off his lap and was huddled into his side.
 
"Well, Giles and I did."
 
"Giles!" Buffy exclaimed. "We have to tell him what happened. I don't think I can do it.."
 
"Allow me." Wesley rose. "What's his number?"
 
"Press 1 on speed dial." Anya came over and stood by him. "Oh wait there's a message."
 
"It's me. Don't bother," Amy explained.
 
"Mr Giles. Yes, it's Wesley. Why am I calling?" Wesley paused for a second. "I'm in Sunnydale, Buffy asked me to accompany her." He listened quietly, for a moment. "No, I don't believe that's the case. She is quite capable, however she does need assistance in research." Wesley frowned at something Giles said. "May I interrupt you for a moment. There is something important I have to tell you."
 
Buffy rolled her eyes and sighed, she rested her head on Spike's shoulder. Drawing strength from him.
 
"It's about Buffy's sister Dawn. What?" Wesley took a breath and listened to Giles' angry voice. "Of course I'm not drunk. Willow has managed to, hello? Hello?" Wesley put the phone down. "He told me I was either drunk or insane. Then asked me not to call him again about imaginary sisters and hung up."
 
Tara frowned. "What did he mean?"
 
"He doesn't remember Dawn, 'cos she never existed as far as he's concerned," Buffy whispered.
 
"If that's the case, then why do we remember?" Amy asked.
 
"I think it's possibly because, we were all present during Willow's spell casting," Wesley suggested. "It would be the most logical course of thought." The others nodded in agreement.
 
"Makes sense." Spike reached into his pocket and pulled out a cigarette. "Sorry pet." He apologised to Anya, as he lit the cigarette.
 
"It's alright." Anya pushed over a saucer for him to use as an ashtray. She then grabbed the bottle and took a long drink from it.
 
 "So what do we do?" Groo asked.
 
"Research, there must be a way to restore Dawn," Tara suggested, as she pulled the book she had been reading in front of her and began to scan the page.
 
"I still want to talk to Willow," Anya insisted.
 
Amy rose, "come on, I'll wake her. But you may not get any sense out of her." She warned as the two of them headed out.
 
"Stop faking." Anya snapped as she glared down at Willow. "I know you're awake." She reached down and shook Willow hard.
 
"Get off me."
 
"I really don't want to touch you. I just wanted to look you in the eyes." Anya shouted.
 
"Well I'm looking at you. Come to spank me? Everyone else thinks I've been a naughty girl." Willow hid her guilt behind bravado.
 
"Oh! I do want to hit you, for what you did to all of us. Also not impressed with the whole sealing of my mouth trick."
 
"Well I was impressed. It's the first time I managed to shut you up. I have no idea how Xander can put up with you. Yap.. yap.. my money.. yap.. yap.. Sexgasms.. yap.. yap.. Boooring"
 
Crack, Anya's hand slapped Willow across the face.
 
"Feel better?" Willow rolled her head up to glare at Anya; her gag absorbed a trickle of blood at the corner of her mouth.
 
"Much better. So you do want to know what happened to Xander? Or don't you care?" Anya massaged her palm, which stung badly.
 
"Xander? Why? What did the doctors say."
 
"You broke both his legs." Anya informed her curtly. "You also cracked his skull and he needed stitching up."
 
"Oh..."
 
"That's all? No. I'm sorry? Can I see him? I thought he was your best friend?" Anya shouted.
 
"There's nothing I can say or do to make it better." Willow looked down at the floor.
 
"You could say sorry. Do you even care about Xander or Dawn?" Anya paused unable to resist, "well you could always try to heal him? He maybe this time you could undo the fabric of this universe?" She snarked.
 
"Yes. I do care. But I was only trying to fix everything. But no I won't try to heal Xander, not, not after Dawnie. I was only trying to make her happy..." Willow looked down at her bound hands.
 
"More like making yourself happier. I may have only been mortal for a few years, but even I know some things have to be left to fix themselves!" A thought suddenly occurred to her, Anya's eyes narrowed. "Anything else you need to fix or own up to?"
 
"What do you mean?" Willow avoided looking at Anya. She glanced accusingly at Amy. "You told them about the shop didn't you?"
 
"No Willow, she didn't, but you just did. So, you're not as powerful as you like to think you are? I think you need to practise more on, your one to one telepathy." Anya turned to Amy, "I've said my piece and heard more than enough. Put her back to sleep, please." She walked out and left Amy alone with Willow.
 
"Well, that went well didn't it?" Amy squatted down and ran her fingers over Willow's reddened cheek. "I think you got off lightly though. I just wanted to say sorry."
 
"What for?"
 
"Taking you to Rack that first time. I had no idea that you would flip out like this. No one else has..." Amy stopped. "Wait a minute, he's done something different to you. Do you know what?"
 
Willow looked over at her erstwhile friend. "I don't know. Nothing maybe? I think that he just released the power in me, that, I didn't know I had." All her attempts of being indifferent disappeared. "I just wish I could take back the last few days..."
 
"I know Willow. But it's done. Now we have to try and get her back. Xander will heal, but I don't think, Buffy will, if Dawn is gone for good. Spike seems, just as angry and upset about what you've done... Now sleep." With that Amy ran her fingers over Willow's eyes as they fluttered shut.
 
***********
 
"Silly ratty, you didn't do it right." Rack sat up and rolled off the dingy bed. He reached for the switch and flicked on the light. It illuminated the dirty motel room that he had managed to teleport himself too. I was north of Los Angeles and a good fifty miles from Sunnydale.
 
He had holed up there to regain his strength and plot his next move. He was now almost ready to collect his prize He just needed a boost of power. He reached over for the phone directory and began to flick through, letting his fingers do the walking. A smile creased his scarred face, "dinner time." He tore out a page and left the room.
 
Rack pulled over, and checked the address. The sign read, Madam Vaccani's House of Palmistry. He turned off the engine and exited the car.
 
The bell jingled, as he pushed open the door and entered the warm incense filled room.
 
"I'll be out in a minute, please take a seat." A strongly accented female voice called from the back of the store. Rack sat down at the circular table. It was covered in a plush red velvet throw fringed with a gold braid. In its centre sat a large crystal ball on an ornate Gothic stand. On the walls were astral charts and pictures of a large family, predominantly women. All of which were, dark haired and smiling for the camera. There were also, several shots of a toddler with dark curls and a toothless smile.
 
Candles flickered as a large dark haired woman entered the room. She was in her late fifties and dressed in a flowing red dress. Her hair was in ringlets and she wore a large pentagram necklace. "Sorry was just settling my granddaughter for the night, my daughter works late, so..."
 
"No problem. I was wondering if I could have my palm read?"
 
"Sure." Madame Vaccani sat down opposite him she reached over for Rack's left hand. Cradling it in hers. The palm reader ran her fingers over the prominent lines on Rack's palm. "Oh, no. Don't please..." She looked up at the grinning man, the agony on her face carved deep lines around her eyes and mouth.
 
"Sorry, I need a boost," Rack snarled. As he drained the life force from the palm reader. "Powerful, wonder if you granddaughter is as well?"
 
Madame Vaccani slumped forward, dead. Rack rose, and disappeared into the back. There was a cry of a child and then silence.
 
"Much better! Time to go get my Strawberry." Rack threw a silver coin onto the table, it span for a moment before hitting the woman's lifeless hand. He looked over. "Heads, you lose."
 
The bell rang as the door slammed shut and Rack disappeared into the night.
 
*********
 
Wesley looked up from Willow's notes and frowned. "I don't think we are getting much accomplished. Maybe, we should get some rest. It might be better to approach this with fresh minds in the morning?"
 
Tara nodded in agreement. "What do we do about Willow?"
 
"I can stand watch." Groo offered. He turned to Anya, "that's if you don't mind me staying here alone?"
 
"No, of course not." Anya turned to Tara and Amy. "Would you like to stay with me? I don't think I can be alone tonight."
 
Tara turned to Spike, who was cradling Buffy as she slept. Tara felt a bit guilty when she had given Buffy a sleeping potion. She and Amy had mixed it up earlier, with Anya's help. It had been their only option, the two Wiccans had exhausted their magics and the herbal path had been their only option. After her confrontation with Willow, Buffy had begun to hyperventilate. Which in turn had distressed Spike, he had kicked one of the chairs across the shop floor, cursing angrily. His frustration at being unable to comfort Buffy had become too hard for him to suppress.
 
When Buffy had started sobbing and apologising for letting Dawn and her mother down, Wesley had intervened. He pulled the three girls aside and quietly suggested a potion to be made up and slipped into Buffy's tea. It had worked quickly, Buffy wilted over the book she had been staring blindly at. Once she had fallen asleep, Spike had calmed down and pulled her into his lap. Nodding his thanks.
 
"Spike?" Tara whispered.
 
"Yeah luv?" He looked up from the book he held awkwardly, in one hand.

"Will you be all right, if I keep Anya company tonight?"
 
"No problem, Columba. S'long as you're all safe?"
 
"We'll be fine. Umm Spike, Columba? That's a new one."
 
Spike quirked his scarred eyebrow, "Sorry, guess it's all the Latin, I've been reading. Means dove."
 
Tara smiled and reached over and ran her fingers over Buffy's sleeping face. "I like it." She nodded to Buffy. "I think she'll be out for at least another eight hours. Let her sleep if off."
 
"I will. You birds need a lift?"
 
"No. I can take them home. Anya, if you don't mind I think I'll go home. It's just I need to see my Dad and Eric in the morning. But I'll bring as many of my texts I can carry and come here after?" Amy reached for her Book of Shadows and stood.
 
"Oh, sure that's fine. Will you be okay on your own?" Anya asked worriedly, she had taken an instant shine to the quiet Wiccan. Amy smiled, nodding as she shouldered her bag.
 
"Right, so the two of us and the Watcher'll head back to Revello Drive." Spike turned to Groo, "are you sure about staying here?"
 
"I will be fine. I am trained to survive without sleep. In the past I have managed to last a week." Groo turned to the training room. "It's best that she is not left alone."
 
"Indeed." Wesley stood and shook his arms, trying to loosen the tension in his shoulders. "Lets head off."
 
Spike turned to Anya, he held Buffy in his arms, shifting her slightly so that her head rested under his chin. "Pet, will you be going to see the Whelp tomorrow?"
 
"Of course, why? Do you want to send him flowers?" Anya asked slyly.
 
Spike rolled eyes, "Nooo. But the Slayer here will probably want to see the boy. Could you come and get.."
 
"No problem, I'll come by in the morning. Tara are you ready?"
 
Tara nodded tiredly. "Yes. Oh Groo don't worry about Willow, she won't wake up unless Amy or I remove the sleeping spell."
 
Anya pulled Groo away from his post and showed him the shop's amenities and gave him a set of keys to lock up after they had all left. Bidding them all goodnight, the three girls headed out into the night.
 
**********
 
Spike hesitated at the front door. He looked down at the sleeping girl in his arms. He didn't want to go in. He couldn't believe his Nib wouldn't be curled up asleep on the couch. Waiting for Buffy to get home safely. He sighed. Wesley came up beside him and placed a comforting hand in Spike's shoulder.
 
"It's hard. I know, but there is hope."
 
"Yeah, I know watcher. There is but... But, right now, I feel pretty dam useless. I mean it's not like I can rip the stupid bitch's head off, for what she's done. Slayer here wouldn't stand for it! Also the chip may have something to say about my beheading the silly cow as well. But it'd go a long way to making me feel better!" Spike growled angrily, his eyes flashed gold for a split second.
 
"I understand. But I don't honestly think it would achieve much."
 
"Yeah. I know. But she took something so precious from us. I just can't bear it. The house is going to be so empty, without Dawn." Spike sighed. He frowned down at Buffy. "She's not going to be able to cope. When Glory got her mitts on Nibblet last year, she went into a catatonic state. That was after she lost her mum, was the final straw. She just shut down, couldn't cope. She doesn't have any family left." Spike grimaced, "well except for her git of a Dad."
 
"She has you, all of the others as well and I'm not going to stop until I find a way to get Dawn back, I promise." Wesley took the keys from Spike and quickly unlocked the door. He ushered Spike into the house and locked the door.
 
Spike stood in the Hallway and breathed deeply, taking in as much of Dawn's scent, trying to grab onto something tangible of his girl. "Thanks, mate. Look you gonna be okay if we head up to bed?" Spike nodded to the stairs.
 
"Yes. I think I may get some tea, it may help me sleep."
 
"Night."
 
"Goodnight Spike, try and get some rest if you can."
 
******
 
Spike, pushed open Buffy's bedroom door.
 
He had hesitated at the master bedroom, then, dismissed the idea. He'd sort it in the morning once the Slayer had headed off to the hospital. It had rankled him that Red had not offered, to move out of Joyce's room, once she had dragged his Slayer out of heaven. 'It would have been the right thing to do, but then again, Red didn't seem to know what was right and what was wrong these days!'
 
He avoided looking over at Buffy's dressing table. There were too many pictures of his two girls, smiling and hugging each other. The images were too painful to look at.
 
Spike placed Buffy, gently onto her bed. Stripping her clothes off, he tucked her under the covers and stood back. Running his hands through his hair Spike gazed down at her. Even in her sleep there was a hint of sadness to her face. Her mouth was compressed into a tight line and there was a tiny furrow between her eyebrows.
 
"I'm sorry luv. I failed you again. I broke my promise to you," He sighed. "I can't fix this."
 
He sank to his knees by the bed and rested his head on Buffy's stomach. 'Pull it together mate. Big Bads don't fall apart. She needs you to be strong.' Spike took a deep breath.
 
He rose and stripped.
 
Crawling into the warm bed, he curled himself around his sleeping girl.
 
"I'm sorry." He pressed his lips to Buffy's neck in a soft kiss.

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